The systems used in sausage production processes are, inter alia, constant-stuffing type systems. In these systems the ejection of stuffing material is not stopped during the division process, and the casing is removed permanently from the stuffing tube. The division of the strand into individual positions is effected by constricting the stuffed sausage strand with dividing elements.
Such an apparatus is known e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,888. The continuously stuffed sausage strand is divided with the aid of a rotating transport element, e.g. a chain or a toothed belt. To this end, dividing elements and guide elements are provided at equal spacings on the transport element. The dividing elements engage the stuffed sausage strand in pairs and constrict the same so as to produce a portion.
In order to produce sausages of different calibers, a different pair of chains is used when the free space between the sausage and the non-adjustable guide elements becomes excessively large or small. It turned out that, if this is not done, the casing will frequently burst due to high mechanical loads, especially when the casings used are natural casings. A sausage-casing-sensitive division is here not possible, especially not for different sausage calibers.
Another production possibility is described in EP 0 472 825, as shown in FIG. 14. A conveyor belt is here provided after a flexible pair of dividing elements. The removal belts have the function of catching the sausages and of transporting them away, since the location of division is produced between the dividing elements and the belts. The problem arising here is that the delicate natural casings may burst in an area of the dividing elements. This embodiment is also disadvantageous insofar as the two systems for producing products of equal lengths are arranged in succession. This has the effect that, especially when natural casings are being processed (curvature (“Kranzigkeit”), tendency to swerve from a theoretically existing stuffing axis), transfer problems from the first to the second unit will arise, viz. due to lack of guidance (unbalance).
Also a dividing system for substantially constant sausage calibers is already known from EP 1 902 622, as can be seen in FIG. 15.